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Character of the Season
Frail in body but dangerously quick of mind, Nikandr is the sort of character who proves that curiosity can be just as perilous as any weapon. A necromancer, inventor, and problem-solver with more ambition than self-preservation, Niki approaches the world like a puzzle box begging to be opened, even when what’s inside has teeth. Blunt, dry-witted, fiercely independent, and carrying a history best left partially buried, he has a knack for making even failure feel fascinating. Whether he’s raising the dead, moving across Caido to King's End, or experiencing a hangover for the first time, Nikandr brings a wonderfully strange spark to Caido, and we can’t wait to see what trouble his brilliant mind wanders into next.
Congratulations, Niki!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
OG Skinning provided by Kaons, with functionality and many custom plugins made by Neowulf!
She didn't stop as she sprinted through the forest. She'd shifted at some point to gain speed, the paws of her jaguar shift eating up the ground towards Ludo's Woods. At least where she remembered it being. It had been dark last time she was there, with music playing through the trees and people laughing and dancing and enjoying the thin veil between their world and Mort's Halls. She remembered the funny masks and outfits, how she'd worn a glittering black cloak that looked like a galaxy sewn into cloth. It had been fun.
But other than the lanterns hanging in the trees and the peculiar color of the bark, she didn't remember much about the location of the woods.
So Nova wove through trees, eyes searching for the lanterns that would lead the way, determined to beat Marcus in this race so she could prove just how capable she was. Part of her worried he might get lost without her to guide him, but he'd proven somewhat competent so far, and her ears remained alert for sounds of his distress. It was the best she could offer him when she was focused on victory.
When a flicker of dim light caught her eye through the misty rain, Nova pivoted against the wet earth, picking up speed as she shot through the forest like a rainbow midnight sky.
Marcus pushed harder anyway, lungs burning as he ducked beneath a branch and vaulted over a moss-covered root. The Greatwood didn’t make it easy. Paths seemed to shift, undergrowth thickening where it hadn’t been moments before, forcing him to change direction on instinct alone. He caught glimpses of her ahead only in flashes of dark movement, sleek and quick, her jaguar form cutting effortlessly through terrain that slowed him down.
After a few more strides, he shifted. The change came smoothly, his body reshaping mid-stride as wings burst wide and caught the damp air. He surged upward, clearing the immediate obstacles of the forest floor, but the canopy brought its own challenges. Branches crowded close, leaves slick with rain, visibility broken into fragments of movement and shadow.
Flying wasn’t easier, and he let out an eagle's cry of both frustration and competition. Under it all, he was still grateful the suggestion had worked.
I want you by my side So that I never feel alone again
The echo of an eagle's screech behind her clashed against the vibrant thrill of her thoughts. It sounded frustrated - and a tad familiar. A feline smile curled onto her lips, her steps nearly bouncing over roots, wholly pleased with herself and her lead over Marcus. That meant she'd get to hide first!
Tree bark shifted into something softer, grosser than the usual brown wood. She hadn't noticed it in the dark of night at the festival beyond a faint reddish tinge, but in the daylight it was wrinkled and papery like old skin that she had no desire to touch.
She gave them a wide berth as she zipped through, letting the spattering of lanterns guide her way. They became more and more frequent until she was running through the mixed light of dappled sunlight and glowing lanterns. This had to be Ludo's Woods. It certainly felt creepy enough.
Deciding that she had probably beat Marcus in their little race, she looked behind her before diving into a bush. Nova lowered her body against the damp earth, tucking her tail close so it would peek out as she watched and waited for him to arrive, all the while snickering to herself at having won.
Marcus cut through the damp air, wings beating harder as the forest began to change beneath him. He felt it before he fully saw it, the subtle wrongness that marked the edge of Ludo’s Woods. The bark below lost its familiar texture, paling and wrinkling into something that made even his distant vantage uneasy. Lantern light flickered between branches, unnatural against the muted daylight, swaying gently as if stirred by something other than wind. The forest felt different than the rest of the Greatwood like the Hollow Forest did to the Greenwing.
He circled once, sharp eyes scanning below for movement.
For a moment, he lost her.
The undergrowth thickened, shadows layering over one another, and her dark form disappeared into it completely. Marcus tilted one wing, gliding lower, slower now, searching for any sign.
Nothing.
Only the quiet hum of the woods and the soft sway of lanterns.
He let out another cry, sharper this time, less frustration and more challenge, before banking again to widen his search. Then, a quick whip of movement caught his eye.
I want you by my side So that I never feel alone again
Nova heard another cry echo across the sky - closer this time. She gave a feline grin, imagining how frustrated Marcus must be at losing to her. It made her giddy, excited to prove she was as cool as she said. It had her tail flicking, daring to peek out from beneath the bush she'd found, possibly enticing him unintentionally forward.
Realizing her mistake a moment too late, Nova leaned into her Attuned abilities, feeling the thread of a bond linking her to the hawk circling the sky. She latched onto it, trying to compel him to look the other way, to go the other way so she could slip farther into the woods without notice. Little did she know it wouldn't work, or that it would only serve to show Marcus the bright colors associated with the unending enjoyment coursing through her mind.
Marcus angled one wing and dropped lower, sharp eyes narrowing as he traced the movement back to its source. There, beneath the tangled undergrowth, a shape tucked too carefully into shadow, a line of color where there should have been none. Her tail moved. It was slight, just a flick, but it was enough.
At the same time, something brushed faintly against his mind. For a brief instant, a wash of color and feeling spilled through the bond. It was bright, electric, encompassing and threaded with excitement and mischief. It pointed straight to her. Once he was closer, he felt her consume him wholly over the attuned bond.
Marcus let out a sharp, triumphant cry, before clacking his beak in a way that would egg her on for another chase, as he swooped down and batted powerful wings at her. Gotcha!
FIN
I want you by my side So that I never feel alone again
